Google’s February Android update confirms a big shift for older Pixels
What you need to know
- Google’s February 2026 Pixel update is small, likely holding back major changes for the upcoming Android 16 QPR3 release.
- The update skips Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series phones, hinting at a shift away from monthly updates for older devices.
- Google says affected Pixel phones will remain security compliant, but offers little clarity on future update frequency.
Google has released a new February 2026 update for Pixel devices, but it only includes small changes. It appears Google is holding back larger updates for next month alongside the Android 16 QPR3 release, but this update also confirms a shift for older Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series devices.
After a buggy start to the year with the January 2026 update, which caused Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues on some Pixel devices before being fixed, Google is back to releasing its monthly Android updates for Pixel devices on schedule.
The company is rolling out a new update for Pixel devices, ranging from the Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, and the original Pixel Fold to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 10 series, carrying the build number BP4A.260205.
The update is around 20 MB in size and is already available for compatible Pixel owners. You can check for it by going to Settings > System > Software updates > System update > Check for update.
Google seems to be saving the real changes for later
As for fixes this time, the update does not bring much that is new. There are no UI or feature changes overall, but it does include a high-severity vulnerability fix for the VPU driver.
The lack of major changes suggests Google is waiting for the Android 16 QPR3 release next month, which is expected to bring features like the ability to hide the At a Glance widget and a controllable flashlight brightness slider.
That said, while this update is small, it confirms a notable change for older Pixel devices.
A small update with a bigger message underneath
If you have noticed, the February update is not listed for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, nor for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The missing updates were first spotted by Droid-Life, which asked Google about the missing support. The company replied that these devices will “remain security compliant” for their full support period, which doesn’t offer much clarity.
The publication also noticed a pattern. Pixel 6 devices appear to have moved to a quarterly update schedule after missing the October and November updates last year and receiving only the December update, followed by skipping January and February as well.
Similarly, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro seem to have shifted to a quarterly cadence by skipping the January and February updates.
Google has not officially announced this change, but the pattern is becoming clearer. There are also reports of Google moving these devices to a risk-based schedule, where updates are pushed only when necessary. As it stands, though, it appears these phones will no longer receive monthly updates.
Android Central’s Take
This is a big shift. Google has so far delivered monthly updates for all its devices, and while the company has never explicitly promised a monthly schedule, that has been its practice. With these recent updates, Google appears to be spacing out updates for older devices, which is understandable given the growing number of phones it needs to support.
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